The Bachelor's Curse
by Lyra Lupin
Summary: It's happened again! The Bachelor's curse has been prophesized and any unmarried wizard between the ages of 18-50 might die if not quickly wed. What does this mean for the Weasley boys, Remus, Severus, Harry. A cute little love story; many pairings.
1. Chapter I

Author's Notes: All characters are property of J.K.Rowlings; this writing is for my own enjoyment, and hopefully yours.  
  
Time line: Harry's second year after graduating Hogwart's; it is believed Voldemort has been defeated, but his followers are still strong.  
  
A multiple pairing story; HET.  
  
--The Bachelor's Curse--  
  
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Chapter I  
  
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The Weasley House: July 29th  
  
"BACHELOR'S CURSE PREDICTED TO STRIKE AUGUST 1"  
  
The Daily Prophet  
  
It had been exactly thirty years since the Daily Prophet had first forecasted this dark prophecy to the wizarding world. In fact, the last time the prophetic headline had run on the front page, over two hundred witches and wizards jumped the broom before nightfall; including Molly Smithwick and Arthur Weasley. With bone- chilling accuracy, three days later, on August first at exactly midnight, a green aura filled the sky, and the next morning over 50 unmarried British wizards between the ages of 18 and 50 lay dead in their beds, struck down in their sleep by the _Unum Solitas_, (or the Bachelor's Curse, as it was commonly called).  
  
Thirty years ago the Bachelor's Curse had been a weapon of the young, but increasing powerful Lord Voldemort; however, it wasn't a new curse. The _Unum Solitas_ had been recorded in several ancient, classical texts. Yet, it hadn't been used in thousands of years due to its ability to cause indiscriminate carnage, and thus, like many things not used, it had been nearly forgotten by the magical world. Thirty years ago, a respected seer, Humberdink Trelawney, great grandson of the famous Cassandra Trelawny and grandfather of Hogwart's own, Sibyll Trelawny, experience the fated vision of the rebirth of this man-killing curse and although, several wizards headed the Prophet's warning and became wedded within the hour, several more, unfortunate single men, did not.

"This is bad news, boys, very bad news," Arthur said looking over the morning paper as Molly, Percy, Fred, George, Bill, Ron and Ginny crowed around the table.  
  
"Thank goodness you all came in this weekend to celebrate our anniversary," Molly said dumping a plateful of steaming blueberry muffins on the kitchen table. "Unfortunately, I think we're going to have to make some other plans."  
  
It was rare that Ginny ever saw her brothers at a lost for words, but this was one of those occasions. There was no reason to speak, because they all knew about the Bachelor's Curse, and they all knew it was either get married or die, but right now, it was hard for the young men to decide which fate was worse.  
  
"So who's going to be first to tie the knot today," Molly asked, trying to give an encouraging smile.  
  
The boys grunted and only Fred and George seemed well enough to attempt to eat breakfast.  
  
"So dad, I don't have to get married do I?" Ginny asked tentatively.  
  
Arthur tried to smile, "No Ginny. Not unless there's some fellow that you want to umm...help out."  
  
Ginny nodded, as she took a bite of her biscuit and ponder who she might have to 'help out', briefly eyeing Harry.  
  
"Molly perhaps you and Ginny could go out to the garden for a bit, while the boys and I have a talk here."  
  
Molly nodded to her husband, gave Ginny a slight tug towards the the garden door, the youngest's voice trailing off, "But why can't I stay, mum? We're not children anymore."  
  
It was the same thing that everyone was thinking.  
  
"Well, then," Arthur nodded at his sons and Harry, "It would be best if everyone were wed by tonight; we've enough money to pay for the licences for all of you."  
  
Bill shook his head, "Why couldn't I have just gone back to Egypt last week."  
  
"I can't believe Charlie isn't effect by this bloody curse! It's just not fair." Percy quipped.  
  
"So goes things, Percy. He wasn't in England when it was forecast, but the rest of you, and this is no joking matter Fred, George," both nodded their understanding, "you have three days, until midnight of August first to sign a marriage contract." Then casting his eyes away, "Whether or not you decided to consummate it, well, it's that's up to you."  
  
"I thought you didn't have to ...ummmm...to consummate it, just sign the licence," Percy commented.  
  
"If you need some tips with the ladies Perce, Fred and I will be willing to share," George laughed; Ron and Harry exchanged muffled grins.  
  
"Boys!" Their father scolded. Talking about sex with his sons was something he been lucky enough to avoid, being that they had all ended the talk before it had begun, but now that the issue was unavoidable, redness filled his aging cheeks. "It might be that you're protected with just the licence, but just to be on the safe side," lifting his eyebrows, "well, in this case you might gently push the issue. The marriage, even if you get divorced or annulled two days later, is legal."  
  
Fred laughed, "Well now we all know how Bill came into this world."  
  
Bill was not amused, "Very funny you two. Anyway, I think we've got picture dad." Then standing, "I guess I'm going to visit Katie."  
  
"About time, you made her an honest woman," George called out after him. Very soon, they'd make honest women of them all.  
  
-----------------------  
  
Ron had bid a short farewell to Harry. There wasn't much to say in a situation like this and he wanted to get to his intended's house before anyone else did. He felt like a complete fool as he stood on the doorstep of Grainger house at nine o'clock in the morning.  
  
"Ron Weasley, come on it, she's been expecting you" Hermione's mom opened the door to her daughter's boyfriend.  
  
Hermione had been spending most of her second year in arduous auror study, but she had spent nearly every vacation and holiday with Ron, who was now working in the Strategies Department of the Ministry. Even though he was playing down their relationship with Harry and his family, he was secretly crazy about Hermione; yet, he still wasn't completely sure how she was going to take the _Unum Solitas_ .  
  
"Hermoine!" He said surprised. She was sitting in her parent's living room in a white dress on a Saturday morning on her summer holiday. "You're up early and dressed in lovely white gown-"  
  
She had a 'Prophet' in her hand. Her smile held her understanding, "Got the paper earlier than usual."  
  
"Right," he scratched his head, quite aware that her parents were standing in close proximity of their only muggle daughter. "Well, ummm, I was thinking," then looking up at the Graingers', "that you might ummm...be up for helping me out that."  
  
"Ron my parents already know about it. Of course I'll marry you." She answered in her matter-of-fact way.  
  
"You'll marry me? Brilliant!" His heart was pounding a mile a minute. "Dr. Grainger?" He asked before throwing his arms around Hermione.  
  
"Welcome to the family Ron." The dentist shook Ron's hand with familial respect.  
  
Hermione instantly popped of the couch and hugged her red headed sweetie, "Don't worry Ron, being with me will be better than eating slugs."  
  
Ron laughed, feeling much relieved at her willingness and happiness over the entire situation. "Hermione Grainger, marrying you might just be better than quitch."  
  
With her muggle parents in tow, they left to find a minister.  
  
-----------------------   
  
The instant Remus Lupin read the headline, his heart skipped a beat. Of all the horrible, humiliating, and life threatening curses for an aging wizard to face, this had to one of the worst.

Three points in particular made it extremely life threatening for him. One: he was a werewolf. Two: He didn't have many female friends, so sympathy to fact one was probably out of the question. Three: He was forty-two and there certainly weren't many unmarried witches over the age of forty running around England who wanted to marry a graying, sometimes sickly, out of work, poverty stricken, werewolf/ professor.  
  
With a stiff upper lip, he raised his cup of tea to his lips and lamented that this might be his last few days on this earth, his last cup of Earl Grey; a pity really, because he always had hoped to die in a more spectacular situation, like his friends, than alone in his bed.  
  
From the living room, a door slammed, a vase crashed to the floor, followed by, "Oh damn, that hurt!"  
  
Jumping out of his kitchen chair, he quickly proceeded to the foyer, where one Nymphadora Tonks had crashed a plant stand on the floor, which had in turned broken a vase and splashed the floor boards with a covering of water, leaves and muck.  
  
"Hey Remus," the small woman with heart-shaped face and pink hair smiled, "sorry about that. Just wondering if you'd read the morning's paper?"  
  
For the second time that morning, his heart skipped a beat.  
  
-----------------------   
  
One marriage down, a bunch more to go; Will they all find a match or will one be let go???  
  
Perhaps Lupin will be next, maybe not. :)  
  
Please let me know if you think this story should continue... Lyra


	2. Chapter II

--The Bachelor's Curse--  
  
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Chapter II  
  
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July 29th : Hogwart's School

"Albus!" McGonagall hurried into the headmaster's office, _Prophet_ in hand, "Have you read today's paper?!"  
  
Dumbledore calmly peered over his half moon glasses, "Yes Minerva, I have." Then raising his right hand, he gestured to a marriage contract lying on his desk. A small baby Fawlks perched next to the large regal document, a dipped quill pen in his beak. "I was hopping that you would do me the honor of renewing our vows."  
  
McGonagall flushed, "Of course Albus!" And quickly signed her name, which magically flamed red against the ivory vellum, "But what about Flitwick, Hagrid, Binns, Severus! Oh dear, it's so upsetting." Minerva fanned herself with the newspaper, and took a set in an overstuffed leather parlor chair.  
  
"I don't think we'll have to worry about Binns, but as for the others, I want you and Poppy to make a list of all the unmarried male teachers and available female teachers. I think we'll be able to find enough female volunteers so that none of our bachelors will be in any danger."  
  
"Yes, alright," she nodded still visibly upset, "Do you have any idea who's set this curse into play? I had assumed that after we had killed Voldemort we wouldn't have to deal with anymore of these horrendous ancient spells."  
  
Dumbledore knotted his hands together, "Alas, I too, believed so Minerva, but unfortunately we're still not sure if he is really dead or if his spirit; his essence is still emanating power somewhere out there in our very own forests."  
  
McGonagall sadly nodded in agreement. This was a discussion that they had had several times before.  
  
"Make the list Minerva, you'll feel more hopeful once you've found all our single gentleman teachers willing wives. And I am going to call an Order meeting tomorrow night and make sure all of our soldiers are protected as well."  
  
Standing, brows knotted, "You're right Albus, I will feel better once I'm working. Poppy and I shall give you a full report at dinner."  
  
"And Mrs. Dumbledore," Albus said holding up the legal parchment and smiling, "Thank you, again."  
  
-----------------------

St. Mungo's

He was having another one of his tantrums and Miriam Strout, Healer- in- Charge of the Janis Thickey ward, fourth floor of St. Mungo's, was in a panic to locate the only woman who could quiet his screams of anguish, Healer-in- Training, Luna Lovegood. Luna possessed excellent academic knowledge for the treatment of magical flues, potion poisonous and even her handling of creature bites was extraordinary for a first year resident; however, her true gift was the treatment and care that she gave her patients. Although Healer Strout thought her assistant could be a bit eccentric at times (especially when discussing her father's obsession for the Crumpled Horned-Snorkack), the young woman possessed an enchanted touch with those in pain and when not at work, it was rumored that Ms. Lovegood was extremely dedicate to her elderly father's care.  
  
"Luna, there you are!" The chubby Healer paused to catch her breath.  
  
"Just catching up on the good stuff," Luna smiled and lifted up her father's _Quibbler_ .  
  
"You've got no time for that, Lockheart is having another one of his fits. It's bad this time."  
  
"Oh my!" Luna jumped up, shoving the _Quibbler_ into her robe pocket, "I'm on my way."  
  
Rushing down the ward, she finally came to room 137 B.  
  
"Gil? You in there," She called out, peeking her blonde head in the door of the room.  
  
A faint sob answered her call. Curled up in the corner of the room, a very handsome man with messy golden hair was crying. Slowly, Luna crossed the room, and laid a hand on his shoulder.  
  
Kneeling close, her voice lowered, "Another bad day?"  
  
The man nodded.  
  
"Do you want to tell me about it?"  
  
He nodded again.  
  
"Well it's going to be very hard for you to do that if you're down there in the floor. Come, let's sit on the bed. I'll have Miss Burta bring us some pumpkin juice." Luna stood and walked over to the bed and in another minute, Lockheart, dressed in grey flannel pajamas joined her.  
  
Wiping the tears from his blue eyes, he smiled up at her, "Thank you for coming Luna. It's been a very bad day."  
  
"Did your therapist, Mr. Johnson, bring the remember-all today?"  
  
"Yes", he answered quietly and looked shyly away.  
  
"And what did you remember?"  
  
His usually handsome face looked sad, "I remembered that I was not a very good man. I told a lot of lies."  
  
"Yes, you did." Luna answered.  
  
Just at that moment, Miriam Stout ran into the room, a copy of the _Daily Prophet_ in hand, her eyes wide, "I need to see you, now!"  
  
-----------------------

The Burrow

Ginny and Harry were both seated at the Weasley kitchen table entrenched in study, or at least trying to be. Ginny was taking a writing course at Oxford over the summer, her book, How to Write an Editorial as well as her writing materials were spread out on one end of the family table. Harry, who was studying a large book on Bulgarian Vampires for this second year of auror training, had his quill and parchment spread out on the other end.  
  
Everything was going smoothly until an unfamiliar owl dropped a pink envelop onto Harry's head.  
  
"Hey there! Watch it!" Harry called after the bird.  
  
Ginny just raised a curious brow. As soon as Harry cracked the seal, twinkling pink hearts burst forth into the kitchen. This time, Ginny laughed, then returned herself back to her textbook, "A bit early for love letters isn't it?"  
  
Harry just grunted and threw the letter into the dust bin. They spent another half hour in quiet study, but peace was not to be had for long. Suddenly, almost on the hour, all sorts of owls, sparrows, and even a pink flamingo were dropping red and pink envelopes onto the Weasley kitchen table, all address to Harry Potter, The Boy that Lived.  
  
"Bloody hell!" Harry cursed, pushing the letters aside, trying to locate his book beneath the feminine envelopes.  
  
Ginny could no longer contain her curiosity. Picking up a pink and white letter, she cracked the seal.  
  
"Dear Harry, I have heard horrible Bachelor's Curse and know that your precious life is in danger. I am only sixteen, but I am willing to lay down my happy, carefree youth to become your wife in all ways."  
  
Ginny was dumbstruck, "Harry? Are all these letters marriage proposals?"  
  
He glared at her. Then flipping his chair out from the table, he stormed out the front door. Ginny sighed, and then taking a large plastic garbage bag from the dust bin, she began scooping up all the letters and piling them into the trash, which she then levitated to the larger muggle trash disposal bin behind the burrow. She thought about apparting them away, but if he did change his mind about reading them, well, then she'd be in fix.  
  
Walking barefoot from the back of the house and down to the pond behind the garden, she had a good idea where Harry had huffed off to. He'd been doing it a lot lately since Voldemort had officially been declared dead by the Ministry. His moods were as volatile as the English weather.  
  
"You can come back to the table. I bagged up all the letters and put them out at the trash bins."  
  
Harry looked up to see Ginny Weasley, standing not three feet from him at the secluded little pond. "Thanks", he mumbled and tossed another stone into the dark pool.  
  
"You know Harry, at risk of sounding like my mother; you might want to think about getting out of the house today and finding yourself bride."  
  
Wielding the next stone as hard as he could at the rippling pool, he remarked sarcastically, "Are you sacrificing your youth for the Boy that Lived as well? Have you come to offer yourself to me too?"  
  
'Pop', a hard slap resounded in the clearing, echoing off the trees. Ginny's sky blue eyes, glared as cold as icicles, her jaw clinched.  
  
Instantly raising a hand to his stinging cheek, Harry was dazed, confused at her slap.  
  
"How dare you!" Ginny threw back at him, "I've never been anything but kind to you; in spite of the fact that you've thrown yourself and your curse upon this family. We've all loved you, you stupid ass; not the Boy- that- Lived, and not the semi- superhero praised in the _Prophet_, but **you-** Harry." Tears were forming in her eyes now, "Just Harry..."  
  
A single tear streaked her cheek as she turned from him, and began walking away from the pond.  
  
"Ginny!" He called out, but she didn't turn around. It was the first time the truly noticed how beautiful she was, her angry blue eyes, long swan shaped body, silky red hair glistening in the summer's noonday sun. And he had just let her walk away, the only girl that had ever really understood him, probably the only girl that had ever really loved him just disappeared over the horizon...  
  
-----------------------

St. Anne's Parish Hall

"And now with the power invested in me by the Church of England, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Ronald Weasley, you may kiss your bride."  
  
When Ron and Hermoine shared their first kiss as a married couple they experienced a new energy and a recharging of inner strength. They were two young people ready to take on the world, and for them, this act was more than a marriage, it was a partnership between two friends, a challenge to powers-that-be, and best of all, it was a big f-you to Voldemort's followers. Sure the Bachelor's Curse killed men or settled them (if only temporarily) in unhappy marriages, but for these two lovers, birds sang, flowers blossomed and love prevailed. Sometimes one could almost believe in the fairytale mantra, _Happily Ever After_.  
  
-----------------------Author's Notes: Thanks for the reviews! Thanks Chelles, Elevencherry and Invisble2U for sticking with me! Lady Norbert thanks for you suggestions, but I'm really just too se la vi for a beta, but I appreciate your recommendations and to Jekl, I'd totally forgotten about Lockheart, thanks for inspiring me!  
  
More coming... Lyra 


	3. Chapter III

--The Bachelor's Curse--  
  
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Chapter III  
  
-----------------------

July 29th : Later that afternoon: The Ministry

Bill Weasley virtually had to shove couples out of his way to the reach the stairwell that lead up to Katie's office at the Ministry. Young and old alike, crowded the corridors and formed long lines waiting for newly deputised judges to officiate the shortest wedding ceremonies ever recorded in Great Britain. Finally, after bounding up five flights of stairs full of nervous energy, he reached the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Ironically, this was the office where they had met five years ago when Bill had chanced to drop off some paperwork from Gringott's Egyptian office. Of course, it had been another year before he'd broken up with Fleur and was reintroduced to Katie at a Christmas party.  
  
Since Voldemort had been defeated, Bill had left his desk job at the London Gringott's office and was once again in the field (or more literately, the Egyptian desert). Thus, his courtship with Katie had been difficult; writing a gazillion letters and apparating back and forth for holidays when it could be arranged. However, even through the difficult times and the lonely winters, Bill knew one thing to be certain; this was the girl he was going to marry. Of course, he didn't realize it would this soon.  
  
Oh well, se la vi! He thought to himself as he fingered a small gold ring in his pocket.  
  
"Bill!" A young woman with chestnut brown hair and an athletic form exclaimed as she came around the front desk and threw her arms around her boyfriend. "It's been a mad house today! It's so wonderful to see a smiling face."  
  
"I couldn't agree more," Bill answered and returned her friendly hug. "Katie, darling," he said lowly, "I have something to ask you."  
  
Then bending down on one knee in front of all her co-workers (who were goggling the couple with anticipation), he took a small unornamented gold ring from his pocket.  
  
"I was waiting to do this until I could afford to buy you a diamond, but I'm afraid today, all I have is this and my heart," he smiled gently and held up the band. "Kathryn Bell, will you marry me?"  
  
Tears were streaming down her cheeks before she finally nodded and cried out, "Yes! Oh yes!!"  
  
Their embrace was cheered by the entire office staff, who yelped with joyous shouts of, _"Long live love!"_  
  
----------------------- 

Hogwart's School: The Dungeon

"Severus, I need a moment of your time." The headmaster said and entered the Potion's classroom.  
  
Severus's black eyes and hooked nose peered up over a load of papers as a cauldron bubbled near by. "Can this wait Headmaster? I'm in the middle of some important work."  
  
"I'm afraid it can't Severus." Dumbledore responded and dropped the _Prophet_ on his desk. "Minerva and Poppy are matching up our bachelor professors as we speak, and I thought it might be a good idea if we spoke before they arrived."  
  
Dumbledore sat down and a chair appeared beneath him.  
  
A knot formed in Snape's throat as he read the paper's headline. Taking out his wand, he cleared his desk and removed the bubbling concoction. "As you know, I am already married."  
  
"That's what you told me twenty years ago when you showed up on my doorstep."  
  
Severus flushed and looked away. He didn't like talking about that time.  
  
"Have you spoken to your wife in those twenty years?" Albus gently prodded, concerned for the man's welfare. For some reason, when it came to Severus, he had a soft spot in his heart. Perhaps because he knew him as boy or perhaps because he thought he had failed him as a young man.  
  
"No," Severus answered lowly, "But divorce is not an option in her religion."  
  
"But annulment is." Albus stated frankly.  
  
"Yes," Severus said contemplating old memories, "but she would have thought an annulment false because-" Severus stopped abruptly.  
  
Dumbledore nodded for him to continue.  
  
He sighed heavily, guilt thick, "Because when I left; when she found out who I really was, _what_ I was, she was with child."  
  
Although a master at Occumancy, Snape's black eyes glared with pain and humiliation. Dumbledore nodded quietly to his raw confession revealing no emotion.  
  
But this was not the end, "I received a letter a month later telling me she lost the child and had decided to join the Sisters of Mercy. She instructed me never to return, never to seek her out."  
  
"Severus, you know what you must do."  
  
Snape rubbed his temples, as if he couldn't quiet comprehend his next step.  
  
"You must go to your wife and see if your marriage contract is still valid. If she has become a holy woman, it might not be so anymore and you can not marry again unless you are released from all your earlier bonds."  
  
"Yes, you are right," he unwillingly admitted.  
  
"Can you apparate to her tonight?" Albus pressured.  
  
He nodded. Tonight he'd visit Western Ireland, visit his old lie, visit his painful past...  
  
----------------------- 

St. Mungo's

"Don't do this Luna. He's had a good life, let him go."  
  
Luna's jaw dropped to her chest as she wrenched her arm out of Healer Strout's hand. "How can you say that? He's starting to recover Miriam. He's starting to remember."  
  
"And once he remembers what he did he'll go to Azkaban for it. Gods Luna! August first might be a blessing to the tortures he'll face in that prison."  
  
Luna whipped around, her long blonde hair stinging against Strout's twisted face. "I have already sent for the hospital's priest. You can not stop me from marrying him, from saving him!" Luna yelled over her shoulder and disappeared into room 137 B.  
  
Pushing her anger aside, she tried to smle as she saw Gilderoy buttoning his vest. "You told me to put on my day clothes, but I have no idea what to do with this thing." Lockheart held up a light blue silk scarf.  
  
"That's called a cravat. Men wear them around their necks." Luna answered casually.  
  
"Oh," Lockheart answered and continue to run the smooth material between his hands. "Luna, what are we doing again?"  
  
Luna knelt before him and tied his shoe laces. "We're signing a contract to be friends."  
  
"Ah, yes," he smiled happily. "That sounds very pleasant."  
  
Luna stood and buttoned up the rest of his vest. "And then, we'll have cake."  
  
His smile broadened, "Even better."  
  
A very old man in dark purple robes entered the room. He looked at his clipboard and then, peered over his thick glasses at Luna and Gilderoy, "Where's the deceased?"  
  
"Oh, hello Elderworth." Luna smoothed back her hair into a ponytail, "This isn't death rites; it's a marriage ceremony."  
  
For a moment, he looked at her like she had just sprouted a second head, then shrugged his shoulders, and sighed, "Sure, why not."  
  
Luna took Lockheart in hand and guided him to the priest, "This is Gilderoy Lockheart and I am Luna Lovegood and we want to be married."  
  
Lockheart turned to Luna, "Married? I thought you said we were going to be special friends today."  
  
Luna smiled gently, "Yes, Gil. That's what special friends do, they marry." She knew explaining the Unum Solitas would be way out of his range of understanding right now.  
  
"But when a man and a woman get married they have a house and babies. We don't have those things Luna." His concern was very real.  
  
She rubbed his arm in a calming way, "No we don't Gil, but we have each other and we'll have a contract and that will be enough for now."  
  
He thought about what she said for a moment and then nodded. "Yes, you're right. And we have cake." He added.  
  
Luna laughed, "We definitely have cake."  
  
Elderworth took out a small book and began reading the holy rites, "Lord and Lady, You have made the bond of marriage a holy mystery,  
  
a symbol of Your love for us. We gather today for the spiritual uniting of Luna Lovegood and Gilderoy Lockheart in your holy and mysterious ways..."  
  
----------------------- 

The Ministry: Open Marriage Courts

"Wow! I guess we'll have to stand in line for a while." Tonks responded on eyeing the long lines marked with signs, 'Speedy Marriage Line I', 'Expedient Marriage Line II' and 'Hasty Marriage Line III'.  
  
"I brought something to help us pass the time," Lupin reached in his robe and pulled out a bar of chocolate.  
  
"Wotcher, Remus! I knew there was a reason to marry you besides the curse." She took a bite from the bar, "A lifetime supply of chocolate!"  
  
Lupin laughed and enjoyed how Nymphadora Tonks was the only one these days that could really make him do so. Queuing up in 'Expedient Marriage Line II', behind sixty other wizarding folk, Remus said, "I guess we'll have to do this again when we get the contract annulled."  
  
Tonks nearly choked on a chocolate chunk, "That's an awful thing to say on our wedding day, Remus!"  
  
Lupin raised a curious brow, cautiously wondering if she might have other plans in mind, "Did you want to stay married to me?"  
  
Tonks answered with a question, "Do I make that unfit of a wife?"  
  
Without thought, he quickly answered from his heart, "Nymphadora, you will make some man a wonderful wife- you're beautiful, you're funny, you're smart. You are everything a man wants."  
  
"So you like me?" Tonks asked softly, leaning closer.  
  
Remus looked at her like she was a strangely, bubbling cauldron. "Of course, I like you. I mean, you're the one who's always saying we're best mates and all." How was he supposed to answer that question? He was in love with her and had been for years, but he couldn't just shout that out on the floor of the Ministry, for St. George's sake!  
  
"Oh," Nymphadora looked a bit downcast, "So you like me like you like Bill."  
  
"I like you much better than I like Bill. For one, you don't belch when you're drinking and two, you're extremely pleasing to look at."  
  
"So you like the way I look?"  
  
Remus was starting to grow tired of this game. "Nymphadora, you're beautiful. Way too beautiful to be married to me."  
  
"No, I'm not!"  
  
"Yes you-" he stopped mid sentence refusing to lower their conversation to childish banter. Grasping her arm tightly, and drawing her petit, curvaceous body along side of his, he whispered, "What are you getting at?"  
  
Tonks bit her lip before everything came spilling out, "Remus, I've always known that someday we'd be together." Her dark eyes pierced his soul, "Not like mates and not like a one night stand, but like this." She pointed specifically to the word 'Marriage' on the que sign.  
  
Lupin nearly fainted, staggering back slightly.  
  
"Oh Remus, are you okay? I didn't mean to frighten you," she replied grabbing onto his lapels to steady him. "It's just that...It's just that I really like," she exclaimed and rolled her eyes, "And I've really like you for a really long time." Now here pale face was blushing profusely pink.  
  
Lupin's brow knotted, confusion rampant, "Why didn't you ever tell me?"  
  
Tonks looked down at her shoes, feeling very girlish, "You're not the type of guy that one just blurts out these things too." Then looking up, "But now that you have to marry me; well, you can't run away or anything, can you."  
  
Lupin grasped her arm again, passion filling him, "I wouldn't have run away before, Nymphadora for the simple, bloody fact that I can't bear being away from you! Do you understand what I'm saying?!"  
  
Tonk's eyes widened, "You do like me?"  
  
Echoing her earlier words, "I like you a lot! I liked you a lot the first time you tripped into Grimmald Place."  
  
Sheer disbelief, "Really??"  
  
He couldn't believe he was bearing his heart to her here, on the floor of the Ministry, in ear shot of a few hundred wizards, "Really."  
  
"So, you want to give this marriage thing a shot? I mean, we don't have to rush all the parts of it." She replied, hoping he would understand that she didn't want to rush him physically.  
  
Remus smiled at her innocence and at her beautiful spirit, "Are you asking me to marry you again?"  
  
"I believe I am, Remus Lupin," she smiled, pink cheeks matching her pink hair. "How 'bout it, will you marry me?"  
  
"If you're willing to give an old man a go, I think I could do the same for a cute, young, seductive thing," he mused and Tonks openly laughed. The he seriously added, "With all my being, Nymphador Tonks, I want to give this marriage 'thing' a shot."  
  
Without thought, she kissed him. Both giggled as their noses bumped with the awkwardness of a first kisses.  
  
"Let's try that again," Tonks murmured against his smooth lips.  
  
Without verbal response, Lupin tilted his head and kissed _her _and it was good! Very, very good!  
  
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Okay, more Harry and Severus coming up next...Also, you'll find out why Dumbledore signed a marriage contract even though he's well over 50. Don't think about it too much, because it's fairly simple. :) Lyra 


	4. Chapter IV

--The Bachelor's Curse--  
  
Author's Note: Siobhan is pronounced Shi-vaun in Irish Gaelic  
  
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Chapter IV  
  
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July 29th : That night: The Burrow

The summer sun had begun to set and Harry's conscious had finally gotten the better of him. Tossing aside his pride, he lightly tapped on Ginny's bedroom door.  
  
"Come in," her feminine voice called.  
  
He opened the door slightly, "Hey, Ginny."  
  
Sitting on her bed, she looked up from her journal. "Oh, it's you," her voice dropped, sounding very disappointed.  
  
Harry knew he was in for fight. The only problem was he was great with spells, but horrid with girls. "Hope no one's writing back these days," he joked.  
  
Ginny's eyes narrowed, "What do you want?"  
  
Obviously, she didn't think he was being very funny. He came in and sat down on the edge of her bed, "I wanted to apologize."  
  
Her response was a short, "Hmmppff."  
  
"I was being a real jerk earlier today."  
  
She snapped her journal closed, "Yes, you were."  
  
"Anyway," he continued, looking down at his shoes, feeling very hot, "If you want to marry me, that's cool."  
  
There was a long pause, then, "Get out!" Ginny yelled, her pale face turning crimson.  
  
"What?" He'd just apologized, he just asked her to marry him, hadn't he? What more did she want?  
  
"I said get out!" Her journal flew past his head, just missing its intended target.  
  
He stood, still confused, "So you won't marry me?"  
  
Her face contorted, her eyes narrowed even more, voice hot with fury, "I'd marry Snape before I'd marry you!"  
  
He just exited her room just as a shoe hit the backside of the door with a swish and a thump; again just missing him. Harry sighed; this was going to be much more difficult than he thought. On the plus side, at least she had bad aim.  
  
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Western Ireland: Connamara  
  
Severus Snape hadn't seen Mary Rafferty in nearly twenty years; and thus, he wasn't quite where to start. He pulled out the last letter she'd sent him, the one warning him to, "never return", but there was no return address and no name for the convent she said she had joined. Finally, as the sun was beginning to set over England, he decided he would start with her old house, their old house, which had been located on the West coast of Ireland, in beautiful, desolate Connamara.  
  
With a 'pop' of apparition, he was there. A cold whipping wind blew from the east, and the sun hung low over the Benbaun Moutains. He shivered slightly as he took in the haunting beauty of the bleak and rugged hills. Even after twenty years, he still found this the most beautiful place on earth. Perhaps because it beauty came not from prettiness, but from a deep and longing sadness, from sorrow and struggle; a naked elegance.  
  
Before him, not thirty feet away, was her stone cottage with a thatched roof and blue shutters. Yellow lights brightened the windows, the front garden was tended, and he could smell the rich flavor of peat, rising from the chimney. Apparently, someone was still living there and perhaps that someone could tell him how to findhis wife.  
  
He knocked and within moments a young woman with silky black hair, twinkling dark eyes and the clearest, most perfect pale skin he'd ever seen, opened the door, "Hello. Can I help you?"  
  
"I'm looking for a woman who once lived here, Mary Raffery."  
  
The girl smiled and opened the door wider, "Well, you've found her! Come on it."  
  
The shock nearly knocked Snape off balance, but somehow he managed to nod his thanks and step through the threshold.  
  
"She's in the kitchen, take a seat and I'll get her." The girl's smile was strangely familiar, yet he could not recall her from his past.  
  
"Mum, you've got a visitor!"  
  
Snape didn't sit, but stood in the small pallor by the crackling fire. The smells of peat, lavender and baking soda- bread rekindled old memories.  
  
Finally a woman called, "Ah, hello!" As she rounded the corner. Suddenly, she froze as her blue eyes fell on the tall, dark figure in her living room.  
  
She was nearly the same as he remembered her. Ocean blue eyes, thick rose red lips; thin and elegant in a blue sweater and skirt. The only change was her black hair, which pulled back at her neck, showed threads of silver.  
  
Crash! The teacup she'd been holding shattered against the wooden floor boards, but she didn't move. At barely a whisper, she said his name, "Severus."  
  
"Mary," He replied softly.  
  
After that, they just stood starring at one another for what seemed an eternity.  
  
"Mum, is everything alright?" The girl asked looking from her mother to the strange man by the fire.  
  
Breaking the trance, the woman turned to the girl, "Yes pet, just the shock of seeing an old friend." Somehow she managed to smile, "Can you give us a moment."  
  
The girl nodded and with another curious glance, disappeared in the kitchen.  
  
"Mary, we need to talk." Severus said sullenly.  
  
She motioned him to the sofa where they both sat and both awkward in their feelings towards one another.  
  
"What brings you here?" Mary asked, her voice calm, but her chest heaving with anticipation.  
  
He pulled a copy of the _Daily Prophet_ from his frock coat, and pointed to the headline, "I need to know if we're still married."  
  
She looked at the article, and then into his eyes, "Yes, in the eyes of the Church we are still married."  
  
Severus sighed heavily, "Thank god." Then regaining his composure, he continued, "I suppose that's all I needed to know really. I'm sorry for upsetting you."  
  
He made to stand, but she took his hand, pulling him back, "Severus, there's some things we need to talk about."  
  
His dark eyes bore the pain of twenty years of confusion and hurt, could tonight change all that?  
  
"I never joined the convent."  
  
"What?" He barely mouthed.  
  
Mary smoothed a black strand of hair from her face and looked up at him, tears pooling her eyes. "When I learned you were a wizard, when I found out all those horrible things you did for your Lord; you must understand, I was only nineteen, I was so frightened."  
  
He nodded with understanding, releasing a great burden from his conscious, "I should never have kept it a secret from you. I came here to escape my past, to escape my demons and the lie I told was a part of that escape, but I never should have lied to you." It felt so good to tell her how he really felt, even if it was twenty years over due.  
  
"Severus, if you hadn't of lied to me, then I'd never have fallen in love with you in the first place."  
  
His heart broke at her words, the sorrow of lost love filling his usually numb heart .  
  
"Oh God!" She cried, wiping tears from her eyes, "I had never been out of Connamara, I didn't know the ways of the world Severus. I spend my entire childhood in a Catholic orphanage. When I met you, I thought you were a fallen angel, and then when I learned the truth, I truly believed you were some demon from the pits of Hell. But now I know," her blue eyes pierced him, "I know you were just a man."  
  
A strange wetness was blurring his vision, and he had a strong urge to touch to her, to hold her until she cried away every last tear. The stone, which had been his heart for the past twenty years, fractured and for the first time, in a long time, he remembered what it was like to love and what it was like to forgive.  
  
"Mary, we both have our wrongs," he whispered as he took her hand.  
  
She clutched it tightly, "But mine is worse, must worse."  
  
He looked at her with confusion, when suddenly, the girl came back into the pallor, her eyes steely against him, "Is everything alright, mother?"  
  
Mary gulped back some tears and reached out her hand, "Come here, Siobhan. I want you to meet someone."  
  
Severus stood up, wiped back some of his own tears, straightened his frock coat and tried to smile at the girl.  
  
"Siobhan, this is my husband, Severus Snape. This is your father."  
  
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The Lupin HouseTonks opened the oven and gave the chocolate cake inside another poke as the sun ducked behind the horizon.  
  
"You know Remus, wedding cakes are traditionally white."  
  
With a snack of the oven door, he replied with a crooked smile, "And if you don't keep your fingers out of it there will be no cake at all because it won't rise."  
  
Tonks laughed, "Alright, alright! Cease and desist already!"  
  
He took up her goblet and poured her another glass of wine.  
  
"You know I have some vacation time stored up. We should take a honeymoon to Spain or the Canary Islands."  
  
"You know I can't afford that," he replied dryly.  
  
"But I can; so, get use to it." Tonks took up his hand and kissed it, and added gently, "I know you married me for my money and I married you for..."  
  
Remus tilted his head, and gave her a questioning stare at her long pause.  
  
Tonks wrinkled her nose and replied, "Actually, I married you because of the curse, _but _I'm staying with you because you're the only one that can put up with me." Then she flushed, the wine making her words easy, "And you're pretty cute."  
  
"You're drunk," he responded, leading her to the sofa.  
  
"Like you're not! You just hide it better."  
  
He smiled broadly, the wine was going straight to his head tonight, but he'd never tell her that, "Perhaps."  
  
"Maybe while we're both inebriated this would be a good time to practice our kissing again. Then if anything does happen, we can just blame it on the alcohol," Tonks mused as she ran a hand up Remus's thigh.  
  
Without flinching at her lasciviousness, he replied, "I think you may be a very naughty woman, Nymphadora Tonks." Then smiling broadly, "And I think I'm going to like it."  
  
Returning his knowing look, "I know you're going to like it." She leaned forward to kiss him, but stopped an inch away from his lips, teasing, "And by the way, I'd prefer that you can me, Nymphadora Lupin."  
  
With wine soaked lips and warm hearts, they kissed with the passion of new lovers.  
  
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Western Ireland: Connamara: The Home of Mary Rafferty

Severus staggered, as he looked upon the beautiful girl standing before him, bringing his fingers to his lips in disbelief.  
  
"I have a daughter?" He asked to Mary, who nodded back. How could he not have seen the resemblance before? She looked much like his own mother, and so much like himself, a striking combination of dark and light. He was speechless.  
  
"How could you!" Siobhan yelled, her face reddening. "How could you leave us? Leave mum? Leave me?" Tears were racing down her cheeks.  
  
He was dumbstruck, "I didn't know."  
  
"We've been alone all this time and now, eighteen years later you just show up on our doorstep and want to be my father?! No, no!!!"  
  
Mary rushed to throw her arms around her distraught child, "Siobhan, he didn't know about you."  
  
The girl looked into her mother's eyes, answering with a pathetic, "What?"  
  
"Severus and I had a very bad misunderstanding eighteen years ago. We hurt each other very badly and it was a wound that only time could heal."  
  
The girl sobbed harder.  
  
"Eighteen years ago, I told him our child died at birth, I was very foolish. Please forgive me."  
  
She pulled away from her mother still sobbing and looked to the strange dark man, mopping his face with a handkerchief, "How long have you known about me?" She asked him between sobs.  
  
Pain ready in his eyes, he replied, "As long as you have known about me."  
  
Siobhan, still crying, took another step closer, gazing at his face. "I look like you," she finally said, her sobs ceasing.  
  
"You look nothing like me, thank Merlin!" He chuckled, then reaching out, he stroked her smooth cheek, "You're beautiful." His old avarice dead, replaced by love and hope.  
  
Without thought, Siobhan threw her arms around this ugly, dark man that, in some ways, so much resembled herself.  
  
And although he'd never held anyone in his arms besides Mary, he knew exactly what to do. He buried his nose in her hair, happy that it wasn't greasy like his own, and happy that her nose was small and straight, and smiled. Siobhan was good and clean and kind and healthy and beautiful and he'd created this. His love for Mary had made her, and she was his flesh, his redemption.  
  
Somehow, he knew that even if he never saw her again after this day, his life had had purpose; and right now, that purpose, this young woman, was weeping in his arms...  
  
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Thanks for the reviews; you all make me laugh! BTW : Chelles, I think you have a dirty mind concerning McG & D :) , KittyWillow: sorry, but you're not in this story ;), however, I respect your Snape worship and Elevencherry: Draco isn't in this story either, but Neville is; please be patient!  
  
More soon... Lyra


	5. Chapter V

--The Bachelor's Curse--  
  
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Chapter V  
  
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June 30th: Evening: Grimmald Place  
  
Grimmald place was a buzz with witches and wizards discussing the Unum Solitas; not only who might be behind it, but also, who had recently had to hitch up because of it.  
  
Ron and Hermione came into the kitchen hand- in- hand, where they were immediately greeted by Fred and George.  
  
"Well, hello you two, you look awfully happy," stated George, leaning very close to Ron, and raising his left eyebrow with anticipation.  
  
"Thanks, we are," answered Hermione as she gave a 'what's going on with him' glance to her new husband.  
  
"Just how happy are you?" Fred asked, chewing on the end of a dragon scale pen.  
  
Hermione crooked her head in confusion, but Ron had known his brothers long enough to smell trouble.  
  
"Okay, Fred, what's up?" Ron asked, irritated.  
  
Fred and George look at each other overly innocent, which was always a sign of guilt.  
  
At their play acting Hermione huffed, "Boys!" And walked off into the crowd.  
  
"Finally," George sighed and pulled out the afternoon copy the Daily Prophet. "This paper contains the latest report on marriage licenses."  
  
Fred joined in with, "See, here's your name right here: Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger."  
  
Ron nodded, "And what are all these scribbles you've put in the margins? 'S' and 'NS'."  
  
Fred put his arm around Ron and raised a finger in the air, "That my little bro is ingenuity!"  
  
"You see Fred, Mundangus and I decided we'd use this curse to make a little bet," George replied gleefully.  
  
Ron rolled his eyes, "Oh no. I already know." His shoulders sagged, "Shagged and Not Shagged."  
  
"Excellent! You are a true Weasley man!" Barked Fred.  
  
"So, what is it Ron, S or NS??" George leaned closer.  
  
"I am not going to tell you that! That is absolutely none of your business."  
  
Just as that moment, Hermione leaned over Fred's shoulder, "Shagged and it was fantastic." Then throwing a quick wink to a reddening Ron, she again lost herself in the crowd.  
  
"Way to go Ron!" George answered as he gave his little brother a punch in the shoulder, then turning to Fred, "You owe me 8 sickles for that one."  
  
"Bloody hell!" Ron exclaimed. "You all are dead if mom finds out about this."  
  
The twins looked at each and smiled mischievously before Fred said, "Wait till she meet our wives! Kitty and Kandy."  
  
Shaking his head, Ron wandered off into the crowd. Then turning around, he bumped into a very sullen looking Harry.  
  
"Harry!"  
  
"Ron!" Harry smiled, "Congratulation!" They shook hands.  
  
"Hermione and I looked everywhere for you today, mate. We figured you were out somewhere getting hitched."  
  
"Ummm...no." Harry replied looking away and tugging at his shirt collar, "Haven't done that yet."  
  
Ron's face contorted in disbelief, "Why not? You only have until tomorrow night and I know loads of girls that would love to marry the Great Harry Potter."  
  
Harry quietly answered, "Yeah, I know."  
  
"Soooo??? Why haven't you asked someone?"  
  
Ron hadn't seen Harry's eyes look this hurt in a lot time, "I did ask someone and she said no."  
  
Another 'Ron Weasley' contorted look of shock, crossed his face, "What girl in her right mind would say no to you?"  
  
Harry braced for a punch, "Your sister."  
  
Suddenly, Dumbledore clapped his hands and the room fell silent; however, Ron failed to notice that fact and thus, his words rang out for everyone to hear.  
  
"You asked my sister to marry you?!" His arms were now tight on Harry's shoulders and every witch and wizard in the room were gawking at the two young men.  
  
"I...I," Harry stuttered; looking away from Ron, his eyes meet with a very beautiful and a very embarrassed Ginny Weasley.  
  
"Gentleman, if you'd please have a seat." Dumbledore commanded. Hermione piled Ron's fingers off of Harry's shoulders and the Order of Phoenix began.  
  
Dumbledore started by stating the known facts about the _Unum Solitas_, and since many of the Order members were under thirty, he recounted what had happened three decades years ago. He continued talking for sometime about possible suspects and a variety of witches and wizards reported their surveillance results as well as possible evil doers; however, no firm leads were established. Finally, after what felt like hours, Dumbledore presented his closing remarks by holding up the marriage announcement page from the _Daily Prophet_ and pointing to his and Minerva McGonagol's names.  
  
"Many of you have been discussing why a wizard of my age would marry when it is very obvious, I suppose," he smiled here, "that I am well over fifty."  
  
A slight whispering broke out among the crowd.  
  
"This is the reason." His pause created a dramatic effect, "Because there is no shame in marriage. Voldemort's power with the _Unum Solitas_ lies in humiliation. Many wizards died thirty years ago, not because of a lack of available women, but because they were too embarrassed and to afraid of rejection and thus, on that night, they laid down in their beds and died." Some of the older members teared at his words.  
  
"And Minerva, a dear friend," he smiled to Scottish witch, "and I married again yesterday, the same as we did thirty years ago. And let me tell you," he chuckled, "I was much more than fifty then!" The crowd laughed. "We married as a sign of support to our younger friends and as a sign to the dark powers that we will win no matter what games they play; no matter what curses they throw!"  
  
"Huzzah! Huzzah!" Someone shouted.  
  
"So goodnight gentlemen, goodnight and get thee wed."  
  
The crowd jumped out of their seats in a standing ovation and Harry felt a heavy hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Harry," it was Arthur Weasley, "May I have a moment?" He inquired gently.  
  
Soon they were outside, seated on a tree stump in Grimmald Place's withering garden.  
  
"So, you asked Ginny to marry you?"  
  
Harry closed his eyes and wished he was anywhere but here. "Yes, sir."  
  
"What did she say?" Arthur asked.  
  
Making good study of his shoes, Harry answered thoughtfully, "She said no and then she threw a shoe at me."  
  
Arthur laughed, laying a hand on his shoulder, "Harry, I'm not upset with you. In fact, Molly and I think it's rather natural that you've asked Ginny."  
  
Harry didn't understand, "Really?" He knew Arthur had seen the girly fan mail Harry received on a regular basis, wouldn't it be more natural if he asked someone that he knew would say yes?  
  
"When we visited your dorm room at auror training, Ginny's photograph was the only item on your cork board."  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
"You're the only one that studies with her everyday at the kitchen table; one o'clock sharp."  
  
"Right," So he enjoyed her company, she quiet and calm, and when he was around her, he felt peaceful and he felt happy.  
  
"Ron complained to us that you've written more letter's to Ginny over the past year than you have him," Arthur inclined his head, eyes wide.  
  
"Ginny's a very good writer," He wasn't going to deny that.  
  
Then lowering his voice, "And when we're eating dinner, you watch her when she's not looking."  
  
Harry flushed and fumbled with his watch.  
  
"And she watches you when you're not looking," Arthur added.  
  
"Oh," Harry said, breathless with embarrassment and expectation.  
  
Arthur smiled reassuringly, "Harry, Molly and I know that Ginny likes you, and we're 99% sure that you like Ginny, at least, all the signs point that way. I guess what Molly and I don't understand is why you all haven't been more, uummm... Why you all haven't tried getting to know one another better before now."  
  
Harry looked at Arthur like he'd just sprouted pig snout, but his question left a resounding question in his own mind, "I don't know either." His answer scared him; because it was not an answer, but another question.  
  
"Ginny is not your sister."  
  
Harry's eyes widened, and he quickly answered, "I don't think of her that way. I think of her as a friend."  
  
"Good," Arthur smiled. "So why do you think she threw a shoe at your marriage proposal?"  
  
"Well..." Harry told him everything, and included several apologies for his behavior. Remarkably, or perhaps unremarkably, Arthur seemed unphased by the incident at the pond. However, for Harry, telling Arthur everything made him feel so much better, as a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.  
  
"She said that I was burden on your family," Harry finally confessed. "I never meant to be that."  
  
Like a father, he put an arm around the young man, "And you never have been. She was angry and she struck out at you. Harry, you've been a blessing to Molly and I; truly a seventh son."  
  
Harry felt extremely honored by the older man's words, especially since Arthur Weasley and Professor Lupin, were the only men that had ever truly been father figures in his life.  
  
"Do you still want to marry Ginny?"  
  
He couldn't believe he was saying it, but to deny the truth would be to deny his heart, "Yes."  
  
Arthur leaned in closely, "This might sound a little crazy, but I promise you, it works. It's how I got her mother to say yes thirty years ago..."  
  
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Thanks for all your reviews; they're inspiring my muse (who can be a very difficult deity to deal with). Lyra 


	6. Chapter VI

--The Bachelor's Curse--

Author's Note: The date on Chapter V should have read July 30th.   
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Chapter VI  
  
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July 31th: TheBurrow  
  
"Ginny," Molly yelled from the bottom of the stairs, "Hurry up! We're late."  
  
Huffing, and trying to buckle the latch on her sandal while hopping down the twisting stairs of the burrow, she replied, "I don't know why I have to get all dress up for Percy's wedding. We didn't even go to the others."  
  
"This is different; this is what he wanted and you know how Percy is!" Molly grabbed her fancy summer hat with a large pink flower from the hat stand. "Oh Ginny! You look lovely!"  
  
Ginny smiled, knowing her yellow sundress made her skin and hair glow golden.  
  
"Now then, let's apparate!"  
  
In the blink of an eye, they were in front of the small chapel just down the road from the Burrow. Outside, Arthur Weasley stood, anxiously awaiting their presence.  
  
"Ahh, girls! You're finally here." He gave his wife a swift kiss and a wink. "Come on, we're nearly late!"  
  
Then opening the chapel door, he shoved Ginny inside.  
  
She began to hurry up the isle and then she realized that the chapel was completely empty except for a very well dressed, Harry Potter. Stopping instantly, she turned back around, but her parents had not followed her in; she was alone. Then, turning back to Harry, who was standing only thirty feet away at the altar of the small church, in a well-cut navy suit, she realized this wasn't Percy's wedding; this was intended to be her own and her parents were in on it!  
  
"Hi Ginny," Harry greeted her nervously.  
  
"Ummm...Hi Harry." She answered, still a bit confused.  
  
"Ginny, there's something I need to tell you," Harry stated, fumbling with a crumpled sheet of paper.  
  
"Okay." She knew she should object and try to leave, but then again, this was Harry. Her Harry and no matter how blazing mad she was at him, well, it was hard to stay mad at someone you love.  
  
"I want to tell you..." He read from the paper and the suddenly stopped, crammed the paper back into his pocket, his shoulders sagged. "I thought I wanted to tell you what was on that paper, but now that you're actually here, I think it would be better if I told you what was in my heart."  
  
Ginny froze with disbelief. Was this actually happening or was this a dream?  
  
"The summer after my fifth year, well, you were really patient with me after Sirius died and it meant a lot to me." His green eyes bore his sincerity. "You were the only one who didn't pretend like it was okay; who didn't ask about that night and that was nice. I could talk to you and you'd just listen."  
  
With unconscious reaction he rubbed his scar, "I started thinking that I wished I'd had a real sister like you; we were good mates there for a bit and then the war came and my life went to hell again." He paused, to reflect, "And somewhere in the middle of it all, I started thinking of you very differently; I didn't think of you as a sister anymore."  
  
His cheeks reddened, "Somewhere in there, you grew up and I guess I grew up, too and suddenly, you were this beautiful, intelligent, well- spoken, powerful witch. And although I was great with you as my sister, I suddenly became horrible with you as a girl; because the truth of the matter is I'm horrible with girls."  
  
Ginny smiled, and took a few steps down the isle, coming closer to the Boy- that- Lived; disbelief melding to belief.  
  
"But you were always nice to me and when we wrote letters, it was great, probably because I didn't actually have to talk, because when I do that, talk to girls, I usually end up being a complete prat and ramble on and on about foolish things."  
  
Ginny was only five feet away from him and altar, "Harry, you're rambling now."  
  
"Right," Harry replied quickly, running a hand through his untidy black hair.  
  
"Is this what you wanted to tell? That your shit with girls? Because I already know that," she said calmly.  
  
"I know you do," he smiled for the first time. "Actually, I wanted to tell you that I like you. I like you a lot."  
  
Ginny returned his smile, "I like you a lot, too, Harry."  
  
"I know you said no to me yesterday."  
  
Ginny was feeling rather bad about that now, because she could see could sense Harry's frustration with this awkward situation.  
  
"And even though this whole marriage thing is rubbish, because it can all be annulled tomorrow; well, the bottom line is, I want to marry you."  
  
Her eyes widened, was she really hearing this from his mouth??  
  
"Ever since my fifth year, when we started becoming mates and all, I just assumed we'd end up together. As far as I was concerned, it became an inevitable possibility that someday, we'd marry."  
  
"Harry, I don't know what to say." She was dumbstruck. She liked Harry, but she'd never seriously thought about marriage.  
  
His green eyes pierced her soul, "Ginny, you're the woman I want to marry. Even if you annul it tomorrow, I want your name next to mine on the certificate, no one else's; because in my mind, there has only ever been you."  
  
Then taking a gold band out of his pocket, his voice breathy, "So how 'bout it, Gin? Will you marry me?"  
  
She ignored the band, and instead, placed her hand in his trembling one, "How could I say no to inevitability?" Smiling with a warm heart, she answered, "Yes Harry, I'll marry you."  
  
They smiled at one another only a split second before the chapel doors burst open and all the Weasley's, including their new wives came running in yelling, "She said yes!"  
  
"Way to go Harry!"  
  
"Welcome to the family!"  
  
"Put me down for an S, Fred!"  
  
Finally, after everyone had substantial time to congratulate the two, the parish priest officiated a quickie, "I do" ceremony that ended in a sweet pop of a kiss. The kiss was made even sweeter because Harry knew that whatever tomorrow held, whether it be war or death or silly curses, it would be okay, because today he had his love; his Ginny.  
  
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A very short chapter to wrap up the H/G storyline. One more chapter coming, a prologue to love's labors and then I'm leaving for a holiday. Thanks for your reviews! Lyra


	7. Chapter VII

--The Bachelor's Curse--  
  
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Chapter VII  
  
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December 24th: Five Months Later: The Lupins' House  
  
"Nymphadora, where do you think you're going?!" Remus stormed into the bedroom, his face set hard.  
  
"Mad Eye's doing some reconnaissance on the Crumb place." Nymphadora said meekly, "I'll be back before it's time for Molly's party."  
  
Remus crossed his arms, lips tight as he watched her on the bed trying to zip up her jeans over her newly forming hump.  
  
"Damn!" She said, fighting with the zipper. Then looking up at her husband coyly, knowing that he didn't want her to go, and knowing that she really shouldn't go, she said, "I think it's time for some new jeans."  
  
"I think it's time you stop working in the field," he retorted. He wouldn't stop her, but he'd certainly let her know his opinion.  
  
"We said at five months," Nymphadora said, knowing that was only five days away.  
  
Then for the first time that evening, Remus let out a bit of a chuckle as he sat down besides his pregnant wife. "I think you're pants are saying it's time to stay home."  
  
Tonks sighed, rubbing her belly she felt a slight kick, "It's kicking!" She grabbed Remus's hand and placed it on her rounded center. "Do you feel it?"  
  
His face beamed with youthful delight, "Yes! Oh my, he's quite the little boxer." He rubbed his hand across her flesh, then again her cheek, "You've made the proudest man."  
  
He kissed her and Nymphadora blushed. They had been married five months, but he still had that effect on her. It had been an unexpected marriage, and an unexpected child, but somehow, out of a dark hour in the wizarding world, a new love and a new life had been formed, and both Remus and his new wife, Nymphadora, were both ecstatically happy and wonderfully in love.  
  
"I think you're right, Remus." Nymphadora said, pushing her jeans off, "I think I'll stay home. I mean just until the baby's born and all then, you know I'll be going back to work straight away."  
  
He kissed her again, smiling, "I wouldn't dream of stopping you."  
  
"I know." She answered sincerely, then laying her head against his shoulder, "You're going to be a wonderful father."  
  
He stroked her brown hair, "And you're going to me an incredible mother. Just promise me one thing."  
  
She looked up suddenly; his eyes were so clear, "What's that?"  
  
"Don't start knitting jumpers, like Molly." He replied, scratching at the green and yellow Molly- made jumper he was wearing, "This world doesn't need any more itchy wool garments."  
  
"But you look so brilliant in it!" Tonks laughed with her whole heart, "Don't worry, it's not in every females mothering nature to knit, Remus."  
  
"Praise Merlin!" He laughed with her and they kissed again.  
  
Then running a hand up his leg, a twinkle in her eye, "You know, we've got a couple of hours before the party."  
  
Lupin grinned wolfishly, "I think we can find an accommodating way to pass the time." Then nibbling her ears, he rucked up her t-shirt, hands exploring her growing bosoms. "You know, love, there are some advantages to being pregnant."  
  
"Such a rake, you are!" Tonks giggled as Remus continued nibbling away until his wife was entirely satisfied that she had stayed home and Remus was entirely pleased that he'd married such a vivacious, naughty woman.  
  
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Western Ireland: Mary Rafferty's Cottage  
  
"Hold your hand perfectly still, focus," Severus's voice was deep and serious as he instructed his daughter in wandless magic. He stood behind her in the cottage kitchen as she levitated a fruit cake from the counter to the table. "Good, now look at the table, imagine where you want to place it."  
  
The cake dipped in mid-flight, faltered and then rose above the table where it came to rest with a gentle clank of the china plate hitting the wood.  
  
"Excellent!" He gave her shoulder a tight squeeze. "Only very powerful witch can do wandless magic, Siobhan," he told her proudly.  
  
She smiled, her dark eyes twinkling, "Obviously, I have good genetics."  
  
"I was thinking exactly the same thing!" He replied, giving her a slight smile.  
  
"Oh no, are you two congratulating each other again!" Mary asked as she entered the kitchen.  
  
No matter how many times Severus had seen her this fall, he was still in awe at her beauty. Her long, dark hair worn freely tonight was more beautiful than in his dreams.  
  
"Mum, I just levitated the fruitcake to the table!" Her daughter replied gleefully. "Why don't I try the ham next?" She said turning to her father.  
  
He looked at Mary's shocked face, "Perhaps we should try something that isn't your mothers Christmas dinner."  
  
Hands on her hips, "Correct!" Mary chided. "Now I think you might be wanting this," she said to Siobhan holding up an envelope.  
  
"Ahh! It's a letter from Danny!" Siobhan grabbed the envelop, and hurried for the kitchen door. "We'll try the ham later," she whispered mischievously in her father's ear before leaving.  
  
There was an awkward silence as the two were left alone.  
  
"I like your muggle clothes," Mary finally said.  
  
He was wearing black trousers and a dark green oxford shirt, "This is some of what Siobhan picked out for me in Dublin."  
  
Ever since learning he had a daughter, he regained a new spirit. His old hatred and self loathing seemed to fade away. She had asked him if they could keep in touch, as she was going away to university in Dublin in August. Of course he'd said yes, and their letter writing had not only allowed each to learn about the other, but it always began to form a special bond between them as well as providing mutual therapy.  
  
In October, Siobhan, who was a chemistry major at Trinity, invited Severus to parents' week at school. For the first time ever, Snape took an absence from Hogwart's and with Mary, his wife, went to support his daughter. Siobhan had insisted on taking him muggle clothes shopping first and shortly their after, he understood why. She introduced him as her father, to everyone: friends, professors, her boyfriend. He's never in his life felt more proud than hearing, from such a beautiful, bright young woman, the words, "This is my father"; and being that man.  
  
In the course of their relationship, he's learned that she had been using wandless magic to do a few things and she was very eager to learn more from him. Mary had given her blessing, and upon their visits, he taught her a few new useful charms. Mary liked to watch them work together and in developing a new relationship with his daughter; he slowly began to repair the old relationship with his wife.  
  
"Well, it's very handsome outfit," she replied quickly, and blushed. Then turning, she began washing dishes.  
  
They both knew he could easily charm the dishes to wash them selves, but he knew she didn't like doing things, as she called it, "the easy way." There was time he would have argued with her, scorned her for rejecting magic, but now, for some reason, he didn't care. It seemed too trivial a matter where she was concerned. He'd spoken about his relationship with Mary to Dumbledore. The old man just smiled, finally replying, "Love is a funny thing isn't it Severus." Was it love? Could he be falling in love with her again? What if he did, and she didn't love him back. Was trying worth the rejection?  
  
"Thank you for invited me for Christmas, Mary," he answered, watching her from behind.  
  
"Siobhan wanted it that way," Mary replied, hands deep in dishwater.  
  
Severus stepped up beside her at the sink. He was so close that he could feel the warmth of body her womanly body, her sweet smell enveloping his senses. Trembling inside at he knew it was now or never, he took the opportunity. Plunging his hands into the water, he caught and stilled hers; blues eyes turned to meet him with anticipation.  
  
"I was hoping that _you_ might have wanted it that way," he said quietly, looking deeply into her eyes.  
  
Mary shut her eyelids for a moment, looking within, she trembled, "I do." Then taking his hands in hers, she looked into his black eyes, which bore every emotion of his soul, "I want you back in my life."  
  
Although his hands were wet, he lifted one to her cheek and slowly tilting her head upward, Severus Snape kissed his wife for the first time in eighteen years. With each moment, the kiss deepened, with friendship, understanding and love; until Mary's arms were wrapped around her husband, and his hands were tangled in her long hair.  
  
"Mum, Dad!!" Siobhan yelled out in complete shock.  
  
The two instantly broke away, and in unison, turned crimson.  
  
Siobhan, smiling like a Cheshire cat, ran into the kitchen, and hugged them both, "This truly in the best Christmas ever!"  
  
And for each, it truly was.  
  
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St. Mungo's: Janis Thicky Ward  
  
Gilderoy Lockheart's therapy had worked. His memory was back and at this moment he stood in front of two Ministry officials in handcuffs.  
  
"Come on Lockheart, it's off to the Ministry jail to await trial." The first official said.  
  
"Lucky for you really," the second little man said. "I know quite a few magical beings that'd like to get their paws on you." The two officials laughed in a crackled harmony.  
  
Gilderoy said nothing as they lead him from his room, down the hallway of Janis Thickey ward, until he saw her.  
  
"Wait!" He said emphatically.  
  
"Gil?!" Luna ran up to him, her face twisted with questions.  
  
"It's time for me to go, Ms. Lovegood," he said quietly, his old bravado lost.  
  
"But do you remember everything? Really everything?" She pleaded with him to say no. She knew he wasn't a good man, but her soft heart didn't want to see him in Azkaban.  
  
He smiled sadly, "I remember what counts."  
  
Luna's eyes began to tear up.  
  
"I want to thank you Ms. Lovegood, for not giving up on me and... and for the marriage."  
  
"Cranky! You married this crazy bugger?" Blurted out an official, but the two ignored him.  
  
"You could have just let me die, but you didn't." His forget-me-not blue eyes looked sincerely, into hers, "You were much better to me than I ever was to anyone."  
  
He bit her trembling lip, and a tear rolled down her cheek.  
  
"Please don't feel sorry for me," he tried to smile, but smiles weren't coming easy to him these days, "I'm getting what I deserve."  
  
She wiped the tear away, "I know."  
  
"Okay, time to break it up you two!" Grumbled an official, and yanked Lockheart away from the fair, young mediwitch.  
  
He didn't need to be told twice; he turned from her, and began following his guards down the hall.  
  
This time it was Luna's turn to cry out, "Wait!"  
  
She ran up to the cuffed Lockheart and throwing her arms around him, she kissed him sincerely. Holding him, she whispered, "Merry Christmas, Gil."  
  
Tears formed in his eyes for things that would never be. "Yes," he answered lowly, against her soft cheek, "Merry Christmas, Luna."  
  
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The Weasley Christmas Party: That evening  
  
Ron and Hermoine, Bill and Katie, Charlie and Angelina, Neville and Susan were all still married and all attending the Christmas party in high spirits. Fred, George and Mundangus were in the corner arguing, but thankfully for Molly, the twins had each sought a speedy annulment. Harry and Ginny too had annulled their marriage vows, but both had acted very strangely and very secretive ever since.  
  
Molly, hands on her hips turned to Ron, "Where is Ginny?"  
  
Hermoine laughed, "Have you check the coat closet?"  
  
"Blimey! I never thought those two would be like this; my best mate and my little sister." Ron shook his head.  
  
"But Hermoine, they've annulled their marriage vows," Molly answered, sipping from a cup of eggnog, "Surely they wouldn't be--"  
  
"Molly, I think we've meddled in their relationship quite enough," Arthur added, coming up behind the trio. "Come let's get you another glass of that." Arthur winked to Hermoine and Ron.  
  
Somewhere in the Weasley house, which was crowded with witches and wizards celebrating Christmas Eve, Ginny found a vacant coat closet.  
  
"In here!" She whispered and pulled Harry in behind her.  
  
"Alone," he sighed and sunk to the floor. Harry hated crowds, especially post killing Voldemort. They all wanted to hear the story from the Boy that Lived Again. It was an event he didn't like to talk about.  
  
"That's right, alone," Ginny echoed, sinking to the floor besides him. "Alone in the coat closet," she turned to kneel in front of him, ran her hands lasciviously up his thighs, "Now what can I do to put you in a better mood?"  
  
Already a slight smile was crossing his face, "Ginny, there are a million people in the house tonight."  
  
"True," her eyes twinkled like a sprit, "But there are only two of us in the closet."  
  
She pressed her self against his body, and they kissed; his lips eagerly returning her kiss. His arms ran from her hips, over her narrow waist, to her back, pressing her tighter against him as they kissed again and again.  
  
And as they were kissing, a golden chain baring a small gold ring fell out of Ginny's blouse. As they parted from kissing, Harry fingered her wedding band, "When are you going to put this back on?"  
  
"Harry, we've already spoken of this," she replied, stroking his swollen lips, "When you're done with training, then we'll marry for real."  
  
He moved a rugged hand up her warm throat, and down against her heaving chest, "I don't think I can wait a year."  
  
Then moving closer, she perched on his lap, wrapping her legs around the outside of his, her eyes were bore into him with lustful innuendo, "We don't have to wait for everything."  
  
Every inch of his body was aroused by her insinuations, but somehow, through all his desire, he was able to regain mental control. "Ginny, neither of us were ready for this in August," he was referring to consummating their vows, "and now that we're not married, it's all we can do to keep ourselves apart."  
  
"Right," Ginny replied, "then why don't we just not keep apart. We can think of it as a Christmas gift to ourselves!" She smiled and gave his a swift kiss.  
  
He pulled her back lightly, "You know how I feel about this."  
  
"I know, and I respect that." Ginny sunk back away from him; being this close was becoming physically painful. She knew that he was intent upon waiting until they were married to make love, and she did respect that, even though her body didn't bare the same feelings as her mind.  
  
This time it was Harry who moved up her; closing the space between them, "Then marry me, Ginny. Marry me tomorrow. Marry me for Christmas!" He smiled, "Marry me because I love you and because I know you love me."  
  
Ginny rolled her eyes, knowing it would be easier if they waited, but then again, this Harry, her Harry and it's very hard to say no to someone you love. "Fine, alright, I'll marry you tomorrow."  
  
He pounced upon her and after kissing her hard, he asked playfully, "Now, where were we??"  
  
"Harry Potter!" Ginny chided at his eagerness.  
  
"Merry Christmas, Ginny!" He said, as his hands needfully ran down her sides.  
  
"Christmas isn't until tomorrow." She replied properly.  
  
His green eyes twinkled, as he lowered her to the floor of the closet, "Then think of this as an early present."  
  
And they all lived happily ever after. The End.  
  
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Ahhh, I love happy endings. I hope you do too! :) Lyra 


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